Supporting People Programme

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effects on  (a) special needs provision and  (b) domestic violence services in (i) Luton and (ii) England of reductions in Supporting People budgets; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: The provision of Supporting People housing related support services, including special needs and domestic violence provision, is a matter for local authorities to determine based on local needs and priorities. CLG do not specify what portion of the SP budget should be allocated to individual client groups. However CLG, through annual expenditure returns and quarterly Supporting People local systems data, monitor the expenditure and number of available services funded from the Supporting People programme.
	Based on the expenditure information provided annually by local authorities, expenditure on domestic violence services in England has increased in each of the three years ended March 2008. In Luton, the number of places (Household units) reported to CLG at quarter end 31st March for this period has remained unchanged.
	For special needs services the number of places for (1) Luton and (2) England is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of special needs places( 1) 
			  Date quarter ending  31 March each year  Luton  England 
			 2008 109 43,114 
			 2007 91 45,980 
			 2006 114 44,155 
			 (1) Special needs for the purpose of the above includes learning, sensory and physical disability services.